Raw drinking milk

The majority of the milk we drink in the UK is heat-treated to kill off harmful bacteria. Raw milk isn’t – it goes straight from the cow to the bottle. Relatively few people buy and drink raw milk.

Raw drinking milk may come from:

cows

sheep

goats

buffaloes

Our advice on raw drinking milk and cream

We advise that raw or unpasteurised milk and cream may contain harmful bacteria that cause food poisoning. People with a weaker immune system are particularly vulnerable to food poisoning and should not consume it.

These include:

pregnant women

infants and small children

elderly people

people with compromised immune system such as cancer patients

Raw drinking milk and the law

The sale of raw drinking milk and cream is legal in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It can only be sold directly to the consumer by: